Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Explain!

Poll: Do you find this thread helpful in your situation?

Yes
30 71.4%
No
3 7.1%
Does not apply to me, but interesting
7 16.7%
Applies to me, but in a different way. (If checked, please post your story)
2 4.8%
Total number of voters: 4 ( FrankN, mocapino, Egghead, Finance Globe )
Only registered users can participate to this poll
  • Posts: 359

Replied by eugene66 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

Eugene, I don't disagree with you when it comes having less cards, less worries. But, you don't gain anything when you close the account and you can save it for a rainy day instead. I'm not sure if you're aware of this but Chase has also been closing accounts so I wouldn't rely on them too much. I would make the Citi card as my go-to card if I were you.


You're right about not closing the cards but the hassle of I went through about why was i sent another card when i did not apply for if for an hour was enough just close them. chase is a card i will use every month and pif but the card i do use the most is my citi card.
14 years 9 months ago #211
  • Posts: 3479

Replied by hjm331 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

Eugene, I don't disagree with you when it comes having less cards, less worries. But, you don't gain anything when you close the account and you can save it for a rainy day instead. I'm not sure if you're aware of this but Chase has also been closing accounts so I wouldn't rely on them too much. I would make the Citi card as my go-to card if I were you.
14 years 9 months ago #212
  • Posts: 359

Replied by eugene66 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

What were the limits? I would've just kept them.


4k each but after my conversation i decided it was not worth the headache and the extra account was not part of my plan but i was told i could reopen them later on....i said no thnx. I now know i am in a good position to make decisions like this now because most of my low limit cards have been closed and plus my experiences with chase and citi so far makes who i will do business with easier.a big plus too is that over time i have read your great experiences with boa and now to see what they have done to you....a less headache to deal with.
14 years 9 months ago #213
  • Posts: 3479

Replied by hjm331 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

What were the limits? I would've just kept them.
14 years 9 months ago #214
  • Posts: 359

Replied by eugene66 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

When i applied after my pre approval i had chosen only one card (which they only allowed one choice) but i received 2 cards. i told the csr what happened and they said i applied for two and i said i know if i applied for two because when i called about the card the first time i was told the card i had chosen was on the way. so yesterday i told them to just close the accounts, I know it is silly to do it but i'd had enough after my conversation with the csr.
14 years 9 months ago #215
  • Posts: 3479

Replied by hjm331 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

It's funny how BoA's stock is worth 3 times more than Citi's stock and BoA is the one in panic mode.

ETA: I have learned my lesson and I'm only going to apply for cards offered by very conservative lenders so I wouldn't to have to deal with any headaches.
14 years 9 months ago #216
  • Posts: 359

Replied by eugene66 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

hey Hjm331 i feel you bro.....i just closed 2 cards(i applied for one) i got pre approved for on their website and after talking with the csr for an hour yesterday, I decided it was not worth the hassle.My experiences with chase and citibank has been very positive so far,i just converted my Chase visa platinum to a freedom card with no problems and i just recieved my first cli from citi..both have been awesome so far.i will still bank with boa but bypass their credit cards.
14 years 9 months ago #217
  • Meya
  • Meya's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Finance Commander
  • Finance Commander
  • Posts: 4522

Replied by Meya on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

I almost hit a car when he told me this as I was driving. That is soooo wrong and humiliating. How could they do this? I mean, lets get real here, if someone has been paying on all of credit cards, especially yours (Bofa) what the heck are they thinking. Can someone tell me where is the risk? That is why the Cb's let banks utilize soft pulls in the first place. I could see if he went bad on other creditors or Bofa specifically, he did nothing wrong to begin with. Why in Adams would they even offer him their cards and high limits in the first place?..... because they saw he was credit worthy to begin with.

Bofa has now shifted to #2 on my hate list, as we all know Amex is #1. This story has really ticked me off with Bofa, and it should be a lesson to all of us. Just because you have high limits on your cc's and has been banking with them for years, don't think you are selected as one of their favorites, and whatever we do, don't think it can't happen to either one of us.

Hjm, thanks for having the courage to share this story because there are some that would have been to embarrassed to post it. This site is called love, sharing, and honesty, which is what you just provided. I thought I was scared of cld's, now I am afraid of everything in the credit world. I really hate that for you, you have came so far and I am still proud of you. Things will get better for us, I know it will, but until then, I will just keep my hopes up for being approved for installment accounts. I still salute you bro!
:white-flag:
14 years 9 months ago #218
  • Posts: 296

Replied by Brian23 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

HJM, I can't believe the nightmare you are having. That's totally insane what they have done to you. Have you gotten any further with this?
14 years 9 months ago #219
  • Posts: 3479

Replied by hjm331 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

I think I'm just going to pay down some of my balances and ask them to reopen my account.
14 years 9 months ago #220
  • Posts: 1257

Replied by ColoNative on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

Thanks for sharing your story with us ColoNative, it means a lot. I was thinking about writing a letter but I don't know who to send it to or where to send it.


No problem. It was really upsetting when it happened and I didn't want to admit it so I know where you are coming from for sure. I feel bad because I had a slightly happier outcome then yours but they are kind of similar: basically beware of BofA for the time being is the moral of the story.

I asked one of the online chat specialists for a Customer Service address:
Bank of America
PO Box 15019
Wilmington, DE 19850-5019

You can send the recon to that address and put it to the attention of Credit Services.

The agent could not find a specific address for the Credit Services department but their # is 1-800-421-2110 and they are opened Monday thru Friday until 10 pm EST.

I wish Eric was still around so you could ask him more specifics.

Good luck we are all rooting for you.
14 years 9 months ago #221
  • Posts: 3479

Replied by hjm331 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

Thanks for sharing your story with us ColoNative, it means a lot. I was thinking about writing a letter but I don't know who to send it to or where to send it.
14 years 9 months ago #222
  • Posts: 1257

Replied by ColoNative on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

I already called this morning and they told me they can't reopen my accounts due to the DTI ratio, I give up.


Yup. This is very, very similar to what happened to me in January. One of the reasons I did not do a review for my Visa Signature was because I was embarassed and upset with what happened. So I have a BofA Visa Gold from 2001 that had a $20,000 limit. In January I applied for the Visa Signature because it had 0% on balance transfers and a $25 statement credit (basically eliminated the bal xfer fee) so I applied. Got a weird message "we will contact you in a few days" it litereally said a "few days" not business days. So I finally called Credit Services (fraud department) and they asked me a ton of very personal questions. They told me that I already had too much available credit with them and if I wanted the Signature they would have to take at least $5K from my Gold card. I agreed but after I hung up I was ticked off. I have 11 years of credit, an 800 bureau score not to mention my 8 years of history with BofA for the Visa Gold and my checking with them. So I called Credit Services again and got the rudest, nastiest woman who said that I was "shooting myself in the foot" if I cancelled the Signature and that "fine, I will close the Signature but I will also have to reduce the limit on the Gold card to $10,000." I was floored, my heart was pounding. Finally I agreed to leave it as it was so now I have the Visa Gold at $15K and the Signature at $5K. I figured I would use them for their 0% APR and close the Gold, Signature and checking once the 0% runs out. In my case what happened is that they did not understand why I applied for more credit. I have 11 credit cards with high limits and very small balances so it raised red flags.

But, I have calmed down a bit in the past 6 months. I understand that the economy has changed and this is the result. I will not close my Visa Gold or my checking (at least until I use all my checks) but the Signature is on borrowed time. And although I do not completely hate BofA for this they have lost all future business from me. Overall they are not a bad company, but like you said, it is really crappy that they did these huge CLI's over the years and then suddenly they want to rein it in. And their customer service is seriously bad.

Anyway, I am really sorry that happened to you HJM. But, you are still young enough that you can build with another bank. Maybe try Pentagon FCU again next Spring. And I can say that I have never had a problem with Citibank, so once yours becomes unsecurred you should have no trouble getting CLI's and changing to a rewards card. :white-flag:

You could also write a recon letter requesting that the accounts at least be reopened with the reduced limits ($500 Visa $2500 Amex) and see what happens. Explain that they are effectively destroying your credit and that you are an excellent customer with the credit cards and checking. Or at the very least, request the accounts be closed at your request rather then by grantor.
14 years 9 months ago #223
  • Posts: 3479

Replied by hjm331 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

I already called this morning and they told me they can't reopen my accounts due to the DTI ratio, I give up.
14 years 9 months ago #224
  • Posts: 244

Replied by KIEJON9 on topic Re: Has Your Credit Card(s) CL Been Reduced, Closed, or Frozen? If So, Please Ex

Hell has frozen over, I never thought this day would come. I feel so embarrassed after praising about BoA for about two years now.

I called BoA on Friday to transfer $4k of my limit from my BoA Visa to my new BoA AMEX to take advantage of a 12 month no-interest on BT's promo. The CSR told me that they have I to contact the Credit Department on Monday and talk to them because they're the ones that can initiate my request.

I called today and told the credit analyst that I wanted to transfer $4k from Visa to my AMEX to take advantage of the BT offer. He looked at my accounts and told me that he can't do the transfer because my BoA Visa was originally a student card. He put me on hold and told me if there was anything else he can do to help me out. Credit analyst came back on the phone and told me that he had to reduce my credit limit on the Visa because he felt that they (the bank) overextended my spending power. I told him that I have worked hard for that limit for the past 2 years and that they should've thought about it before giving me the increase and he apologized but he said he had to do whatever he needed. He puts me on hold again, comes back and tells me that he has to close the Visa and I told him that it was my second oldest credit card and closing it would ruin my credit that I've worked my rear off for the past 2 years. He agreed to not close the Visa and leave it with a $500 limit and not touch the AMEX with a $2,500 CL since I already have submitted a $2k BT.

I checked my accounts an hour later and noticed that the available credit section had disappeared on both accounts. I called CS and the automated system informed me that both of my accounts had been closed. When I heard this, I felt my heart drop. I didn't have a balance on either account Two years of hard work has gone down the drain and this all feels like a nightmare. I don't know where to go from here.

ETA


Hello hjm331 I feel were you are coming from as of last week my wife credit line were cut and i am not happy with any of it i dont know whats going on over at bofa but i know me and my wife have been loyal customers but I will talk to someone over in credit sometime this week i hope i can get a good rep
14 years 9 months ago #225